​Week 1: 8 October 2025

 

Many thanks to James for a great introduction to the course and to Adam for his wonderful music.

 

You covered a lot of ground in the first class!  We will be going over everything again in the coming weeks.

 

The underlines text below contains links, many are  to the Scottish Country Dance Data base, SCDDB, to which James referred. It’s a fabulous resource which provides information about thousands of dances, tunes, formations etc. There is also the Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary and the  RSCDS website offers more videos and information about basic steps and formations.

 

• Steps: James taught two of the basic steps

  • Skip change travelling step

  • Slip step ​ circle step (also used for slipping down  and back).

 

• Figures and formations: we used the steps in different permutations as we learned some key figures and formations.

  • Lead down and back (right hands joined)

  • Dance down and back (near hands joined)

  • Slip down and back (both hands joined)

  • Hands across and back (Right hands across,/Left hands across break in time to change hands and regain the sidelines)

  • Cast

  • Step up

  • Circle (seven steps and then close on eight)

  • Lead down and back and cast

  • Turn right hand / left hand (RH/LH)

 

• We danced

  • Circassian Circle (James’s version with a circle at the start instead of a promenade at the end) IC R32

  • Charleston Chaser 4/4L J32

  • Leap Year 2/4L J24

  • The Waratah Weaver 4/4L J32

  • Canadian Barn Dance 1RR X16

 

As with most interests, there is a Scottish country dancing code to decipher. When looking at dance videos or cribs, you will frequently see text after the name of the dance, telling you what the set looks like (circle, square, longwise, round the room), how many people are in it) as well as , what type of dance  and how many bars of music each time through. Looking at the list above:

• What does the set look like?

  • 1C means it is a circle dance for couples

  • 4/4L means a dance for 4 couples in a 4 couple longwise set

  • 2/4L means  a dance for 2 couples in and 4 couple longwise set

  • 1RR means it is a round the room dance for couples

• What sort of dance and how many bars of music in each time through

  • R32 means a reel with 32 bars in each time through

  • J32 and J24 mean jigs of 32 and 24 bars respectively

  • X16 is barn dance with 16 bars of music, repeated however many times the band decides.

We’ll look forward to seeing you again next week but if you have any questions in the meantime, do ask via classes@rscdslondon.org.uk

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Week 3: 22 October 2025

Another hard working session, this week led by Jenny Kendrick and accompanied by Heather Jeffery on fiddle.  Many thanks to them both for a constructive class which revised many of the steps and formations covered in the first 2 weeks. We welcomed Ros and Cara to the class, both digging into memories of their past dancing experience to catch up with the ground covered on the course so far (great job!)

 

We warmed up initially by marching around the room, following Jenny’s instructions to turn random other dancers by the right hand, left hand, both hands, also dancing back to back (dos a dos). Progressing then to Sheena’s Saunter, a circle dance, we continued our warm up whist revising chain formations – passing our fellow dancers first by the right hand, then the left and so on, around the circle. The ‘Grand Chain’ progression, as it is known, moved very smoothly throughout our large circle of 10 couples.

We paused for a little dedicated step practice, revisiting skip change and slip step and then worked on The Waratah Weaver which includes figures of 8, casting down and back, leading down the dance, and Rights and Lefts (which you may recall we dubbed ‘dancing round the square’ last week and which is a very small version of the grand chain (moving around the square by crossing right hand, left hand, right hand, left hand with fellow dancers).

 

The Highland Fair, included more casting behind dancers own lines and back, leading down and up the dance (right hand in right hand), and then Rights and Lefts.

 

Another interlude of step practice showed that many of you had successfully ‘got’ the beat and change of weight necessary for the Pas de Basque setting step. We’ll be practicing this more in the coming weeks! Using Pas de Basque, we practiced a very common formation whereby dancers hold hands on their side of the set, set (Pas de basque), cross with their partner, set again and cross back. We followed this up by setting, casting and then turning partners by the right. This was a lot to remember but we were mostly successful in implementing these new skills in Espie McNab. We finished the class by dancing ‘Jig to the Music’ a fun dance which consolidated the steps, turns and circles of the previous dances.

 

As in previous weeks, the dance names below contain links to the instructions and videos of each dance. The weekly emails are also posted on our website (click on the blue box ‘course resources 2025’ from our Beginners class page https://www.rscdslondon.org.uk/euston-new-dancers. If you head to that page, you will find links also to videos of the various steps and formations we have covered so far and, if you page right to the bottom, some information about shoes.

 

That’s all for now. See you at St Columba’s next week, hopefully, or if not, back at Maria Fidelis on the 5 November.

 

Sheena's Saunter anyC · X32 

The Waratah Weaver 4/4L · J32

The Highland Fair 2/4L · J32

Espie McNabb  3/4L · J32

Jig to the Music 3/4L · J32

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Week 5: 12 November 2025

This week we welcomed Grace Hill as beginners class teacher (Dave Hall, who was originally scheduled to take the class sent his apologies as he was obliged to be away for work). Grace is a very experienced teacher and dancer, and with her support, the class enjoyed covering a lot of ground both figuratively and literally !

 

We warmed up with a new dance ‘All Things Nice’ a 32 bar, round the room jig. This tested memories and stamina as it included Rights and Lefts (or dancing round the square as we have been calling the movement) and introduced a new concept – the Ladies’ chain ( a video of the Ladies’ Chain is here https://www.scottish-country-dancing-dictionary.com/videoclips/ladies-chain.html ).

 

Moving onto step practice, we revised skip change of step then moved onto Leading down the middle and up.  The class had covered this before (leading down right hand in right hand for four bars and then back for another four) but this time the timing was different. For the purposes of our next dance the ‘Moray Reel’ , we needed to lead down, for 3 bars, then turn back and lead up for another three before separating and casting to 2nd place on our own side (taking 2 bars to do so). Grace reminded us that much of Scottish country dance is divided into 8 bar blocks.  Continuing with the 8 bar theme, we then practiced turning our partners all the way round – first slowly and elegantly, with plenty of time to look at our partners in 4 bars, then, a much more focused turn, in 2 bars. The latter needed much more control from our arm muscles – helping each other in the turn without squeezing our partner’ hand too hard. The 2 bar turn was then used in the dance as we practiced a new formation turning  ‘Corner Partner, Corner, Partner’.

 

The sugar boost from biscuits was generally appreciated and then we focused on practicing setting step, or pas de basque, to be used in our next dance Espie MacNabb. This used previously acquired skills such as setting and turning corners and then dancing reels of three.

The class finished with another new skill – dancing the allemande.  This is an elegant and very satisfying movement to dance, and the class picked it up with enthusiasm. We then used it in Mrs Stewart Sinton’s Reel, which also consolidated some of the work we’d done on our setting steps and introduced yet another variant of leading down the middle and up (this time, leading down for 4 bars and back for 4 however, finishing, not in own place as before, but facing first corner).

 

Many thanks to Grace for such a productive and enjoyable class, and to Heather for her invigorating music. Next week, James will be back, ready to lead the class onto the next stage of the dancing syllabus.

 

All Things Nice’ 2RR . 32J

Moray Reel 3/4L · J32

Espie McNabb 3/4L · J32

Mrs Stewart Sinton's Reel 2/4L · J32​​​​

Week 7: 26 November 2025

Great to see so many of you again this week.  We had another thorough workout, for brain and much as body,  as James took the class through the intricacies of the grand chain and ladies chain needed for Mrs Stewart’s Jig.

 

We began the evening by warming us to Sheena’s Saunter, which included a grand chain. Our numbers were soon augmented by a group of dancers from the General class including some graduates from last year’s beginners’ class. Sadly, there had been too few dancers to run the general class but their loss was our gain as they made a great addition to our number. Thanks to General class teacher Catriona for her valuable support in the combined class.

 

After revising the ladies’ chain, which we practiced in 2 couple sets, we then learned the dance in 3 couple sets before progressing to the full dance in 4 couple sets. Moving through the different permutations of 2, 3 and 4 couples proved somewhat challenging and medication, in the form of shortbread, was needed before regrouping and trying again. Hard work and a lot of concentration but resulting in two important formations added to the class repertoire. Well done all!

We enjoyed A Reel for Jeannie which included several formations already covered within the class (circle, slip down the middle, cast, turn partner right hand) and which the class picked up very quickly, before finishing with The Deil amang the Tailors. This is a favourite of mine and features on many dance programmes. It’s fast moving and, although it didn’t bring in any completely new formations, we needed to manage the initial’ set, dance ½ right hands across, set, ½ left hands across’ very swiftly. Heather’s music helped and we finished the evening in style, dancing it through in 4 couple sets.

 

Thanks to everyone for contributing to the evening. We’ll look forward to dancing with you again next week!

Next week is the final class of the beginners’ course, although there is a scheduled combined class also on 10 December before we finish finally for Christmas. There is a follow-on Improvers course next term, starting on 21 January.

​



Sheena's Saunter anyC · X32

Mrs Stewart's Jig  3/4L · J32

A Reel for Jeannie 4/4L · R32

De'il Amang the Tailors 3/4L · R32

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Week 2: 15 October 2025​​

 

It was great to see so many of you this week and to welcome Ksenia to join the class. Those of you who couldn’t make it this week – we missed you! Hopefully this note will help you to follow what we did.  In all there were 20 dancers, including James and me.

 

James started us off with Circassian Circle which reminded us about slip step. We then practiced our skip change and James commented about how well people were forming the steps in time to the music. Next, we revised Leap Year, also from last week before learning a new formation, ‘ Rights and Lefts’ (renamed ‘dance around the square’ for the purposes of reducing confusion whilst learning). We then worked on Highland Fair, which included first and second couples leading down the middle and back.

 

After a very well earned biscuit break, the class formed into group of three to dance reels of three  - both left shouldered reels and right shouldered reels. These featured in our next dance The Provost Wynd.  There was a good deal to learn in this dance: new figures included turning the diagonally opposite person rather than partner and then a first couple solo (cross Right hand, cast two places, cross Left hand, and cast up). It was a lot to take in but concentration was excellent and progress made. We’ll be revisiting this in future classes.  Our final dance was the Charleston Chaser – fun and fast, just right for that stage of the evening!

 

Just before the class finished, James introduced pas de basque setting step and emphasised its basic three-beat rhythm. We practised in twos setting and turning two hands. 

 

Next week, Jenny will be our teacher and Heather Jeffery will play her fiddle for us.

 

Click on the links below to see videos of different steps and formations as well as the dances covered.

• Steps: James taught two of the basic steps

  • Skip change travelling step

  • Slip step ​ circle step (also used for slipping down  and back).

 

• Figures and formations: we used the steps in different permutations as we learned some key figures and formations.

  • Lead down and back (right hands joined)

  • Dance down and back (near hands joined)

  • Slip down and back (both hands joined)

  • Hands across and back (Right hands across,/Left hands across break in time to change hands and regain the sidelines) We renamed this ‘right hand wheel, left hand wheel’ as we were practicing it.

  • Cast

  • Step up

  • Circle (seven steps and then close on eight)

  • Lead down and back and cast

  • Turn right hand / left hand (RH/LH)

  • Rights and Lefts (renamed ‘dance around the square’ for this class)

  • Reel of three

  • Pas de basque

 

• We danced

  • Circassian Circle (James’s version with a circle at the start instead of a promenade at the end) IC R32

  • Leap Year 2/4L J24

  • The Highland Fair 2/4L J32

  • The Provost Wynd 3/4L R32

  • Charleston Chaser 4/4L J32

Week 4: 5 November 2025

James put the class thoroughly through its paces this week with a lot of thought, concentration and stamina needed. The class worked brilliantly through the various challenges with lots of teamwork and good humour along the way.

 

We began with the Warm-Up Jig, ostensibly to warm up our limbs but, as it turned out, our brains benefited from the warm up too as we tangled and untangled ourselves – dancing around partners and corners. We got there in the end, ready to deal with the next challenge of some skip change practice before moving on to pas de basque practice, then set and turn corners and reels of three in eight then six bars. All excellent preparation for a new dance  - Sleepy Maggie. I don’t know how the dance got its name but it’s anything but sleepy and we had definitely earned our biscuit break by the time it came round. After the break we danced the whole dance through – well done everyone! We completed our evening by revising  Jig to the Music and The Highland Fair.

 

Links to the dance instructions and videos below. See you all next week!

 

Sleepy Maggie 3/4L · R32

Jig to the Music 3/3L · J32

Highland Fair 2/4L · J32

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Week 6: 19 November 2025

This week was the 6th week of the 8 week course and it was encouraging to see just how far everyone has progressed in that time, tackling new formations with good will, confidence and team work.

 

We warmed up with the aptly named Warm-up Jig and then revisited the Moray Reel, which Grace has introduced last week.  As James explained, this is a dance of light and shade, with the first 16 bars needing great control over step length to cover a short distance in four bars four times, and the class worked hard to pace themselves appropriately. The next movement, leading down the middle and up, then casting to end facing first corners, was more straightforward. Although it was a challenge to fit all this into 8 bars, ready to start turning corner, partner, corner , partner on the first beat of the next bar, it was clear that dancers’ confidence in the various formations, plus the location of their corners, was growing stronger by the week.

 

After some step practice, for both skip change and pas de basque, we went on to Mrs Stewart Sinton’s Reel where the class showed James the progress they had made with the 2 couple allemande, introduced the previous week. Keeping with a Mrs Stewart theme, although this time Mrs Stewart’s Jig, James revisited the Ladies’ Chain, which Grace had briefly introduced in last week’s warm up dance. There will be more of this dance next week!  

 

Our final dance of the evening was the Charleston Chaser, which was a fast and fun end to the evening. Thank you to everyone for your concentration, commitment and good humour, to James for another constructive and enjoyable class and to Ian for his musical support.

 

Looking forward to dancing with you all next week.  Details of this week’s dances and links to cribs and videos are given below.

​

Moray Reel 3/4L · J32

Mrs Stewart Sinton's Reel 2/4L · J32

Mrs Stewart’s Jig 3/4L . J32

Charlestown Chaser  4/4L · J32